MUSLIM-ONLY SCHOOL IN THE HEART OF WEST YORKSHIRE

The Institute of Islamic Education is situated close to the centre of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.

It provides full-time education for boys between the ages of 12 and 16 years in Islamic studies. All students are Muslims.

The aim of the Institute is to train Imams and, or ustaads (Islamic studies teachers) and scholars in order to benefit the communities to which they return.

Most students stay on after the age of 16 years to complete the alim (Islamic Studies) course and the hifz course (memorisation of the Qur'an), graduating after seven to nine years.

Tablighi Jamaat (who run the school) and the Dewsbury Markaz has been accused of promoting extremist Islamism and having links with Islamic terrorism in Britain.

Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, two of the July 7 2005 London bombers, are reported to have attended prayers at the mosque. Both the allegation of extremism and specific claims that Sidique Khan or Tanweer visited the mosque are denied by its leaders.

In 2006 the Institute of Islamic Education was criticised by Ofsted for an 'over-emphasis' on religious study to the neglect of the secular curriculum, leading to poor exam performance.

Despite the restrictions placed on pupils, inspectors rated the school as 'good' across the board with the behaviour of pupils 'outstanding'.

It explained how the 'spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is a strength of the Institute' and how it 'enables pupils to cater for the changing needs of British Muslims and the wider community'.

Official inspection reports did admit there are 'no first-hand experiences to enable students to extended their empathy with differing cultural groups in society both at home and overseas' and highlighted a lack of school trips and formal sex education.

In a statement, Ofsted said independent schools were not assessed on their teaching of British values when the Institute of Islamic Education was last inspected, in 2011.

The education watchdog said: 'In April 2015 Ofsted introduced a new, tougher inspection framework in response to more demanding independent school standards, which include an emphasis on fundamental British values.'

It comes as David Cameron made a speech this week calling for less segregation in society and raised concerns about some faith schools.

He said: 'It is right to look again more broadly at how we can move away from segregated schooling in our most divided communities.

He added: 'Now we'll go further to incentivise schools in our most divided areas to provide a shared future for our children, whether by sharing the same site and facilities;

by more integrated teaching across sites; or by supporting the creation of new integrated free schools in the most segregated areas.'

The Prime Minister promised a counter-extremism bill in the autumn to tackle what he described as 'intolerant ideas which create a climate in which extremists can flourish'.